Method of and means for dyeing fabrics and the like.



E. 1. WILKINSON.

METHOD 0F AND MANS FOR DYEING FABRlCS ANDTHE LIKE.

APPLICATION min luLY 7, |915.

1,287,543., Patented Dec. 10, l9l8.

ma nonna uns ca. mumumo., msmmnaN, n. c

rinr'rnn sareiEsl rATENr oEnIoE.

EDWARD JOHN WILKINSON, 0E I/IANoHEs'rER, ENGLANnAssIGNoR To BRADFoRD DYERs AssooIA'rIoN LIMITED, or BRADEoRn'ENGLAND.

METHOD orANny MEANS FOR DYEING EABRIcs AND THE LIKE.

speein'eat'ion `5f Letters Patent. Patented Dec.4 10, 1918.

' Application filed Juiy 7, 1915. seria1No.3s,446.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD JOHN WIL- KINsoN, a subject of fthe King of Great Britain, and resident of'6 IIanoverGardens, Higher Broughton, Manchester, 'infrthe county of Lancaster', England, have iii'- 'vented a certain new' or Improved Method ofand Means for Dyeing Fabrics and the like, ofv which vthe "following description, having reference tothe `accompanying sheet of drawings, is a specification.

In the process of'dyeing -it is vusualto pass the fabric or the like being treated through the dye liquor either continuously in one direction as in the case of the ordiinary type of dye vessel and wince-pit for woolen and worsted fabrics or as in the case of the continuous dyeing machine for dyeing direct black on cottonpiece goods; or repeatedly in one direction as on the ordinary type of dyeing pad; or'- alternately backward'and forward as onf'the ordinary dye jigger, in order that such fabrics may take up the desired quantity of dye stuff or have suiiicient of sameffiXed upon them.

In carry-ing out these well-known-methods of dyeing much time and labor are expended which I considerably reduce by making use of the apparatus andrv following kthe method of treatment which are the subject of mypresent invention. f

According to my inventionA I pass the material to be treated through' the liquor and preferably between squeezing rrollers and in the case of piece goods in the open width state, in order that same vmay uniformly absorb suchlan amount of color or such other substances dissolved or suspended in 4water or other suitable medium, as maybe necessary to eect the desired result. Alfter leaving the liquor the fabricy is carriedF into a chamber or inclosedspace inwhich it wholly remains and where it is kept at the requisite temperature for the length of time necessary to permit of the actions of the substances thereon beingcarriedout to the de# sired extent, during such timethe fabric is keptin such a state of motion as will retain or distribute in an evenly diffusedcondition throughoutthe whole mass, the moisture and substances which it has taken up. When required the air inl this chamber may be eX- pelled and replaced by` the admission of steam or other gasV or gases in order to prevent undesirable or detrimental effects.

I find that the carrying 'of thewfabrics and the like through the liquor maybe vetliciently performed by the employment of guiding and winding rollers,7andV thaty the desired state yof motion, inV which thesame is kept after having passed through the liquoris `a continuation of the revolving motions of the roller upon which the fabric is wound. f

In referring to the treatment of goods other than fabric I have especially in view the treatment of warps and yarns.

The apparatus for carrying my process into eHect may be varied to meet the'particular requirements of the goods being treated, hence I only give a description of suchv an example of said apparatus as will disclose the essential features of my invention since I am aware that same may be varied in many ydirections without departing from the nature ofmy said invention.

The apparatus I make use of yis of the character hereinafter described, the same being illustrated by the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein y Figure l is a side elevation, part of the apparatus being shown in section'so that the parts within might be clearly illustrated.

Fig. 2 kis a plan of thel parts'shown by Fig; 1. f

A is a vat or vessel formed toy containthe dyeing or other liquor (as hereinafter described) to the treatment of which the fabrics or thelike have tobe subjected.'` '4 B is a cover which is removable andwhich forms a joint upon the edges of the tank A said joint being suiiiciently air-tight toenable the space inclosed by the cover to con-y tain the necessary steam or other gases for heating the interior thereof.

C are coils of pipesthrough which steam may be passed for heating purposes.

The fabrics 2 that have to be treated are conducted through the vessel A by first passing over the roller 3y and descending beneath a'guide roller 4 and over another roller 5 to reach a roller 6 which forms one of a pair of, pressing rollers and to which roller 6 rotary motion is transmitted by appropriate gearing such as driving pulleys 7. and spur wheels 8 and 9 the latter :of whichv are secured upon the shaft 63:' upon whichl the roller 6 is fixed. As the shaft. 6u has gtoreach to the exterior of the vat A a gland' 'c isemployed to" render same air ilo tight. Mounted in appropriate bearings 10 is the upper pressing roller 11 which `is arranged to rest upon and receive its rotary motion from andbyl frictional Contact With the roller 6 beneath, While hand Wheels for actuating screws 12' and 1:2l (which press upon springs) may impart more or less pressureito thelroller 11- as occasionl may require. The fabric 2 as itpassesV :from the roller 11 and any superfluous moisture which it may have ,taken up, is squeezed out of it at the line oficontact ofsaidsrollers 11 and 6, While4 thefabric 2 still extends over said roller 11 to be Wound in coils 2? upon the roller 12b, i

This roller 12b I preferablyarrange to pressy freely upon therollerl 11 so that-its Contact therewith shall behof such a nature. that the rotary motions of the roller, 11 may be Atransmitted to the rollerlQb. atthe desired surfacehspeed to Windthereonthe fabrics Q'to forin the coils 2a. T husxitwill be seen that the fabric 2 after `passingvover the roller Idescends into thenliquor contained by the ltank A. and that it is conductedy through said liquor by passing under the roller 4 and' over the yroller 5 (which maybe of the type knoWn asa kscr ollr roller for the purpose, of keeping s the fabric stretched laterally) to reach the rollercGHas above described, care being' taken that said fabric 2 does not riseout ofsaid .liquor until it is Withinthe inclosed partof the apparatus.y This `said inclosed portion of .the tank A is secured by the partition `l?? reaching down into the liquor Within ,the vatA. as shown by Fig( l.

On the apparatus thus producedj being put into action bythe drivingbelt being,V on the fixed driving pulley, the rollers 6,:1 11 andlQb, commence their y rotary motions and the fabric iswound upenthelroller 12?,until the end A ofA the fabric is reached, after which, the rotary motions are .continued (by the roller 12b' and its coilsoflfabric still resting against thelroller .ll avhenzsaid roller 12b is not driven by devices hhereinafter Vde scribed) for the desiredvperiodto enable the actions of the substances taken up by the fabric to be effected Ior carriedI out.

During these `rotary, motions the interior of the ohamberis keptdat ,the ldesired tem,- perature and the steam which heats the liquor (or additional steam) may beI em-v ployed forv heating the interior of said parts to effect the results desired. When' this process is completed thecoveruB is vremoved softhat thecoilsfuof fabrics upon theroller 12b together `with said; roller 12" may lbe removed to continue theirsubsequent treatment in manner Well known.

In cases Where it has been found desirable that the batch or coils of'fabrics 2a after being Woundupon the roller 12bz should be removed clear of the roller 11,.,and stillhave the necessary rotary motions transmitted to them, I mount the roller 12b upon appro priate bearings 13a and 13b carried by lever arms 14, lia'which I mount upon a cross shaft 15 which extends fromlthe outside of the vat A sufiiciently within same so that a gland 15a may form its bearing at one end'While a simple bearing 15b may form its supportl at the other end.

One form of convenient mechanism for transmitting motion. to the Y, roller 12b consists o fsprocket Wheels ,16, 16a, IGP and 16, over which ytake chains 17 and 17 1, and these I arrange tobe driven from the shaft 6a of ,the 4roller 6 in such mannerthat the, nu1nber of revolutions made by the Wheel 16c in any given time shall befewer than the number of revolutions transmitted to the rolle1g12b by theroller llwhen they largest diameter of coils 2a are Wound o n .said roller 12b and this relative speed I make use of for.: the purposes hereinafter described.

The sprocket wheell isfixed upon the shaft6l While they tivo sprocketjwheels 16,el and 16b revolveI togetherloosely upon. the shaft 15 which supports the leverarms'll, 14% ,upon which the roller 12b is mounted. The motion transmitted to the roller 12b by the sprocket wheel 16is effected ina known manner by said Wheel 16C carrying ratchets which: engage with the lteeth of aratchet wheel fixed upon theshaft 13a; thus the motion of the Wheel 16c being sloyyerthan the motion transmitted tothe batch on theroller 12b when thefspeed offthe roller 12"exceeds that of theratchet Wheel fixed upon the shaft 13l the ratchetsbarried by thelsprocket 16C will slide freely over. the teethA of the ratchet Wheel'within', Whereas Whenvlthe roller .lland its Vcoils of fabric 2a are raised clear of`,thero1le r 11 Ithen l'the rotary motions of thesprocket VWheel ,16C will beltransmitted to the roller' l2b,because the'ratchets ,will then engage with the'teeth of .the rachet Wheel.

The means I employ for `raising the roller 12b fand itsfbatch` 2a from. contact with the yroller 11,.consist of a lever ,18 fixed upon theshaft 15 and arranged to reach so that its slotted end may take over, extending pins 19a from a sliding block 19 which will slide freely upon ythe vertical `shaft 'or guide 2O. Upon theupper .end of the shaft 20 a'screiv 20ais formed sojthat a Ihand Wheel 21.ha v.A ing ascreyved internal opening to mesh with the threads 2O'a1 may be madekto ascend` and descend over said shaft 20Qas will be understood. The hand Wheel 21 hasa sleeve y'21a which. reaches into contact With the sliding block19, so that as the hand Wheel 21 moves .over the screwed part 2,0a the vsliding block will be actuated as desired.

The shaft 20 is supported in bearingsl upon Which an index 22 may beformed so that the pointer .23, mayindicate the diamef ter or quantity ofmaterial wound upon .the roller 12'.A 1 v fz the attendant has observednthatlthe.,endg of the --fabric has passed within the vat A he may thenvactuate the handwheel 21,l and raise the"batch clear of the roller llas will be understood, and afterthatithe'y rotary motions yof the rollery carrying the ba-tch mayibe con'tinued zforiv lbhe. lezsired,VVV nlength of time.

theioller f5 between the topV of 'they'vliqrll'm?.A

and the vroller 11.

afueras havia-g1the'areisfraftz. simply 'piace.daml aimingmaterialfearrieaby the llrpelfljedges'qf h'jvatl yeti, am aware that Provided bettaeats' thaathes''-al@ riius to be arrangedto mrtg-automatically ou the end` o fthe -fabricbeing 'reabhelj in vorder jsubsaieut uirltsl u ,L haye` alsoxdiscoyeredfthat for' nialting, bleaching, mordantin'g'and otherwise treating certain classes of fabrics, l"rfor stripping or de-coloringvfabrics mymsaid apparatus and process ina'y be advantageously @taught inta H fi't :i l?? Flirt; fbx: wf' nu. sach biagua tamu-e aaa obje-Crier said invention, what I claim is 1. The method or process of subjecting fabrics or the like to the actions of dyeing or other liquids, consisting of passing said fabrics through the liquor by which thej' ha\e to be treated, receiving thel fabrics within a suitably prepared chamber Vor inclosed space out of and clear of the liquid by which they have been treated, and keep# ing the fabrics in a state of motion wholly therein to evenly diffuse the absorbed matter, substantially as herein specified. i

2. The method or process of'subjectinga fabric or the like to the actions of dyeingV or otherliquor consisting of passing said ,V V A my w y y* fabric or -the like through said liquor, wind- In .thls arrangement ofrnechani'sln when a" ing'tlie whole batch of same onl a roll in' a 4suitable chamber. outwofand .clear of the .v liquid by whieh'it has been treated, and con tinuing Ithe,.revolving-v iof the entire 'n iass 2 when thusI wound ,to evenlyl` di fuse the absorbed"matter,"1substantially as herein specil ltreated to `pass ,through fsaid liquor, a. chamber or inclosed space', i'rieans on' which `"sa-ivd fabrics may be wrapped in saidffchfunber'out Of/'and clear 0f. the liquidby jwhiehsad fabric has been treated, meansffor' affecting the temperature in said chamber:v f

l hfIn carrying out'theirnethod'for process `of subjecting fabrics and thelike )to the actions of 'dyeing or other liquors, a vator kVessel for containing said dyeing'for other liquor, means for causing the fabrics to be treated to pass through said liquor,fmeans whereby said fabric may be wound 'into` coils, a chamberfin which said'4 fabrics are ,thus coiled out ofand'clear of the liquidby which they have been ltreated and `means 'whereby said chamber may bemaintainedat a desired'temperature, substantially as herein specified.

5. I n 1carrying out the method or process of subjecting' fabrics A`and the like to the ac- Y vtions 'of dyeing: orrother liqurs'ayat or Ves- 'sel for containing 1iquors,f devices whereby saidY fabric may b'etcaused to 'travel jthrugh liquor, means by which said fabric is wound upon a rollgafter same has passed 'through said liquor, a :chamber within which said roll of fabric'is wound out'f' andclear of 'the liquid vby which'said'f'fabric has been treated, and means whereby the rotary motions of the roll may be continued whenthe 'Troll is not acted upon by ,said 'ifabric-windy lingme'ans, substantially` hereinspe'cied.Y 6.7 In carrying .out the method or process Iof L subjecting fabrics and i the like Lto `the act/iene ef dyeing 01 9ther`-ilquors1avat 0r ,Y'es`szel lfor' 'containing said "liquors, "devices I"whereby said fabrics may be caused to travel through said liquor, means by which said .fabric is wound upon a roll after same has` Vpassed through said liquor, a chamber within which said roll of fabriciis wound out 'of and clear of the liquid by which said fabric has been treated, means whereby the rotary motions of the fabric-carrying roll may be continued after'the roll has been moved VVout of Contact with a roll-rotating member method or processof subjecting fabrics and the like to the actions of dyeing or other liquors, as herein described, the employment of a fabric carrying roller mounted upon roller, substantially as hereinspecifiedr Y 8. In apparatus for carrying out the method or process of subjecting fabrics and the like to the actions of dyeing orffother liquors, as herein described, the employment Copies of this' patent may be obtained for of a roller mounted upon bearings so that it may rest upon a driving roller, lever arms for supporting said driven roller upon which the fabrics are Wound, driving geary for transmitting motion to said roller,v andl screwand lever devices for moving said roller from contact with the driving roller, substantially as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in theI presence of tivo subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD JOHN VILKINSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES JOHN Rosin, SAMUEL HEY.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

